Login

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed some of Dr. Smith’s co-workers from Baptist Memorial Hospital to learn more about the relationships in the workplace. The interviews summarized are some of the most typical or relevant to the investigation and are representative of all interviews conducted.

Name: Autumn HeldtAddress: 3006 South Lamar Blvd, Oxford, MS

Ms. Heldt is a nurse who works on the surgical floor at the hospital. Her job is to prep patients for procedures, to personally make sure they are comfortable, and to answer any questions they may have about what will be happening before, during and after their surgeries or procedures from a nursing perspective.

Heldt said got along well with Dr. Smith but said several of the nurses didn’t care for Smith at all. When pressed for names, Heldt said that head surgical nurse Ruthie Foreman had made comments to fellow nurses implying that she thought it was ridiculous how everyone was supporting Smith after one of her patients died.

Name: Frankie OsborneAddress: Unit 112, 1756 Jefferson, Oxford, MS

Mr. Osborne is a lab technician at the hospital.

Osborne described Dr. Smith as an overachiever and said she was dismissive with the nurses and assistants at the hospital. He said there were rumors going around that some of the nurses may have sent anonymous text messages to Smith.

He also said that Smith was one of those people you either liked or hated. There was no in between. He added thateveryone was upset to find out she had died, but said most of the nurses won’t miss her. He said Smith was one of those doctors who patients loved but people who had to work with her didn’t.

Osborne said the person that he felt was hurt the most by the malpractice suit against Smith seemed to be assistant hospital administrator Dwight Kramer.

Name: Felicia McGrawAddress: 429 Turnberry Court, Oxford, MS

Dr. McGraw is a gastroenterologist who, like Dr. Smith, sometimes performs procedures at Baptist Memorial. She had talked with Smith numerous times and she felt they got along well.

McGraw said Smith had discussed the harassing text messages with her, and said she had asked Smith if she thought Ruthie Foreman might have been the one sending them. Smith said there was no way because she got along very well with Foreman.

McGraw was asked at this point if she would mind stepping into a private room for a one-on-one interview, and she agreed.